Monday, February 07, 2011

176 Highland Council staff earn more than £50,000

Yesterday the Mail on Sunday had an article claiming that the number of Council employees in Scotland earning above 50K had risen by 20% in the last year. It seems Highland Council have 197 employees that are enjoying salaries of above this figure. The Mail on Sunday states;
"Highland Council said that of the 176 employees earning more than £50,000, 97 of them are 'senior teaching staff''.
Of course some of them will be well above 50K as well. But 176 x £50,000 = £ 8,800,000 per year.
Wouldn't it be nice if they were willing to share the pain with say, a 10% pay cut? Meanwhile it seems almost a certainty that 334 teaching assistants at well below £50,000 per year will be paid off by the Council once the decision is ratified on Thursday.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your story does not highlight the pay of the Chief Executive (over £100k) and the others (Service Directors) whose salaries are index linked to his salary.
Classroom assistants earn less than 0.7% of that salary level!
All Council staff are having their pay frozen for 2 years - that is a PAY CUT.
Surely what is needed is a restructuring to reduce the 'top heavy organisation' and leave Classroom assistants to support Class teachers delivering the best education to our young people.
Shame on the Council if they go through with this proposal.
This is a blow to the young people in the Highlands and is a devastating blow to those affected by the proposed redundancies.
Counciilors should vote NO to these proposed CUTS.

Graisg said...

Yes the directors and Chief Executive receive an obscene rate of pay in this observer's opinion.

You say classroom assistants earn 0.7% of that level - do you mean 7%? If so could you provide a source for us to confirm.
Also the pay freeze is like everything else in the cuts package isn't it? i.e not implemented until the vote on Thursday?